Kalli is back !!!!!!!

Yepp, you read it right. Am back after a very long hiatus - 5 months to be precise. Blame it all on that dumb, drab and boring World Cup we had in April. So depresssing it was that I could not get myself to sit and write a worthwhile piece after that. But then, thats history now and I will certainly keep blogging at least for another 2 months and 10 days. Hehehe, my blogs are always cryptic so I leave it your imagination.

I must admit that its Big 'P', my buddy from college days who's been the reason i have started again. Go and check out his blog http://bikebloke.blogspot.com/. Leave out the poems though if you want to save yourself, hehe, just skip straight ahead to the last few posts. So what meaningful stuff do I sit and write about at 00:22 hrs. Something that comes to mind straightaway is that I have'nt been out of Chennai all through this year. That makes it 8 months and 3 days in this very same place. That's something which is indeed very strange for me. Normally I make it a point to go out on a trip or a tour every year, but these last 8 months have been so full of activity its been impossible to step out of Chennai. I must say its been a very productive year as far as acquisitons go and also on the personal front :-) . So, before I digress into those unnecessary details for which you folks don't have the privileges, let me tell you that this blog's about travel and adventure. So all you travel weary oldies don't you dare venture any further.

Ever since Prazee(Big P) suggested the idea of a trip to Manali and Leh, I decided that these next 2 months am gonna dedicate to my spirit of adventure and a natural love for travelling that hasn't quite borne fruition. But then at the age of 24, with my best years yet to come (Wow i liked that line) its not too late at all. So for starters we've decided to take my monster bike, my sexy black Pulsar 180 and scorch away to Pondicherry. Just a small matter of 300 kms along the beaches on the wonderful East Coast Road.

Planning has already begun and there will be a blog about it for sure after we return. Right now its about getting the bike in perfect condition for a 600 kms drive. So will have to shrug off my basic trait - laziness and get the monster serviced nice and tight for our drive. Its quite exciting the prospect of driving all the way along ECR, lots of photo ops on the cards and nice weather too at this of the year. Have biked my way through a maximum of 70-90 kms away from Thiruvanmiyur so far, but never got the chance to go further. And with Prazee around its always gonna be an adventure, rewind to Munnar/Chalakudy days :-).

And hey, its gonna be fun for sure.. right now very very sleepy..zzzzz...apologies for a quick finish to this one... lots more I wanna write but then am getting into a nice sexy dream, so that will surely take precedence over the blog. More about travel after the Pondy trip. Keep checking out this space, lots more every day on more debatable and unconventional stuff. For now though am in a hurry, slipping into a nice, lovely ... Wow byeeeee!!!!

This is Crazy!!!!!!

The first week of WC 2007 has just concluded and what a start it has been. The most inexplicable things have taken place in these last 7 days. Brilliant bowling, sharp fielding, sizzling strokeplay and huge upsets -- this is it, this is the magic that the World Cup always has in store.

After a colorful opening cermony which showcased the vibrant hues of the Carribean, the WC opener on March 13th was always going to be a cracker of a game. West Indies versus Pakistan, unpredictability at its very best when these two sides match up against each other. It was indeed a fabulous contest. After a slow start WI finally broke the shackles in the form of Marlon Samuels, when he thrashed Ifthikar Rao in the 28th over. The momentum shifted towards the West Indies and from there on it was calypso time all the way. I would love to see the West Indies keep up this good form and carry it all the way through. They are one side everyone in the world wants to watch.

After a couple of dull and boring matches following the opener, the World Cup truly came alive when Ireland took on a young Zimbabwean team. The Irish are a surprise package with players having limited ability but tonnes of determination and an attitude to stick it out. In a humdinger of a clash that went right down till the wire, the Irish team sneaked out a tie when it seemed certain that Zimbabwe would cruise through. It was a morale boosting victory for Ireland and their cricketing ambitions were given a real fillip.

Then we had the incredible, mercurial Herschelle Gibbs perform an unimaginable feat. Six sixes in an over!!!! Phew.. its been done by Shastri and Sobers at first class level, but to do it in an international game and that too at the World Cup is just truly an outstanding achievement. Van Troose, the Dutch bowler need not be ashamed because the man who tore him apart is one of the most gifted players in the world. Gibbs for long has promised so much but the lack of self belief after the dropped catch in the 1999 World Cup has been his undoing in all these years as an international cricketer. This one over should mark a change in his career fortunes and I won't be surprised if Gibbs goes on to become one of the greats in South African cricket history.

If all this was'nt enough, what followed was unbelievable. On March 17th, two giants from the sub-continent Pakistan and India took on the supposed 'minnows' (time to knock off that word from the dictionary, there are no minnows at the international level) of world cricket - Ireland and Bangladesh respectively. By the end of the day, we had Pakistan kncoked out of the World Cup 2007 and India just another defeat away from packing their bags. The unexpected turn of events has left the whole of India and Pakistan shell shocked. While our neighbours were utterly disastrous right from the word go, we got into a seemingly good position and then threw it all away in sheer mid-day madness. 5 wickets in the space of 5 runs against a modest Bangladesh attack is unacceptable. India finally managed to set the Bangla boys a target of 191. And the way those young lads chased it was memorable. Tamim Iqbal showed glimpses of Saeed Anwar in that breezy knock of 51. And the confidence these guys have is an indication that just like Sri Lanka - who took a huge step forward in 1995-96, this Bangladesh team too has taken a step to the next level. Meanwhile, India better forget this as a bad dream. They have their task cut out. Two must win games against Bermuda and Sri Lanka, will give them a window of opportunity to make it to the next stage of the Cup.

Pakistan have had a shabby second World Cup in succession. If 2003 was a disaster then 2007 has been a catastrophe. They need to take a serious look at the quality of cricketers they are producing. 131 runs against an Irish attack is certainly not what we expect from the likes of Younis, Yousuf and Inzy. Its time to bid goodbye to the old boys and look at building a new team for the future. The same could be true for India if the old pros don't come to the party in the next week.

So there it was, a round up of the first week of World Cup 2007. It would do this wonderful game a world of good if the next few weeks can match up to this enthralling first one. With the Super 8's coming up from the 28th of March its just gonna be a treat for the cricket buff. I am just licking my lips in anticipation. At this stage I am rooting for the West Indies and their unmatchable and distinctive flair to carry them through. Cheers!!!!

The Men in Blue - Ready to Roar

WC 2007 -- 7 days to go ......

The Carribean Carnival

Just 18 days to go for World Cup 2007 and I cant wait to see the first ball bowled. The Carribean has waited 22 years for this and the people there deserve to host an event such as this one. It is without doubt the best venue in the world to play cricket. The wonderful cocktail of cricket, music, passion and absolute love for the game comes out beautifully in the West Indies. So why exactly am i looking forward to WC 2007 ? Just read on....

First up, its gonna be a real celebration and a last hurrah for some of my favorite cricketing heroes. These are the guys I have followed for the last 15-17 years and these are my heroes. Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Brian Lara, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Pollock, Muttiah Muralitharan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Stephen Fleming.. what an outstanding list of players that is. Each a true champion. To have all these guys slugging it out for one last time to get that ultimate prize is dream stuff. What amazing contests we will have on the cards, superlative bowling performances, stunning knocks and great catches -- its all gonna happen at WC 2007.

So who has a chance at the Cup this time around? Australia and their aura of invincibility -- that is all gone. The recent reverses against England at the CB finals and the 3-0 scoreline at the Chapell - Hadlee series is not some blip in form that many Aussie fans would like to beleive. Having seen their performances in these last 5 matches, I can sense that an era is coming to an end. Some big names left the scene at the end of the Ashes and a few more will at the end of the Cup. Not only does this directly affect their performances but also their much vaunted bench strength is'nt all that promising. In Shaun Tait they do have an outright quickie but he needs to be groomed. I see them sliding down the world rankings in the next 2-3 years before the new breed gains experience and blossoms again. Australia need to be patient during this time. They might just scrape through and reach the semis with one last gasp, but their future seems pretty uncertain. I see a distinct lack of quality in both their batting and bowling as far as the reserves are concerned. Only time will tell if I am right.

Also Australia's loss in form has left the Cup wide open. To me there are six realistic contenders for the title, each with an equal chance. Australia, West Indies, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, India and Pakistan. You might be thinking I am crazy to leave out South Africa - the top team according to the ICC rankings. But thats not surprising - coming in to every WC they have always been the form team. But their performance disintegartes as they progress further in a World Cup(92,96,99 and 03). They get stagnated in the high pressure matches where they have to win at all costs. They will always be a brilliant team but a WC win also needs nerves of steel and I dont see them having that as yet.

West Indies are a firm favorite in their backyard. Lara could just be saving his best for something big like this. In crucial matches he could churn up some unbeleivable stuff. Gayle is another force to reckon with and their slow spinners are a handful in those conditions. New Zealand are playing some inspired cricket at the moment and are in sublime form. Ross Taylor is the new star and the Kiwis need just one reason for motivation - they better give back something to their skipper. Fleming's been around long now and his team ought to repay him for the way he has carried them through all the highs and lows over the last decade. This imaginative captain will finally have at his disposal a quality side that is expected to reach the last four.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are always the enigmas. All they need is an inspired performance by one of their lead stars. Jayasuriya and Sangakkara are the key men for SL. They will determine if SL go the distance this time around. With Vaas and Murali in their bowling ranks, they will always be able to place the stranglehold in the middle overs. Pakistan are a huge force becasue they have the most imaginative bowling attack of all the teams in foray. Watch out for Inzi and Yousuf, they could run into some big time form. For big Inzi it will be the last World Cup and he has been one of the most prolific ODI batsmen ever. Asif, Akhtar(if fit) and Gul are quite a handful when it comes to some pitches in the Carribean. But hopefully we will have some sporting tracks for this WC unlike some flat belters that we are used to in India.

So finally our very own Team India. A disastrous tour of South Africa, some lacklustre performances in the one day competitions such as the DLF cup and the Champions Trophy have only worked out to our advantage. For the first time despite the two back to back victories at home(SL & WI), high hopes are'nt being pinned on this team to go the distance. And having followed this Team all the way through for so many years, I can safely vouch that they play their best and most belligerent cricket when they are away from the pressure and limelight. Sit back and sample what we have in our team. Sachin, Sourav and Dravid - each with over 10,000 runs and in awesome form - they will be the backbone for our campaign. Add to that their experience of playing in previous WC's and their familiarity with the conditions in the West Indies. Now thats serious - these guys will go in with a plan to take us into that last four. Its the last World Cup all three will be playing. Then you have the Dhonis and the Yuvrajs, they are the future of our cricket and they already are through the grind. Zak has matured and become a better cricketer, more variety and a calmer presence means that we wont be seeing any more of that dreadful stuff he produced in the finals of WC 2003. So just relax and quietly follow Team India's progress. You might see some incredible performances by our most beloved cricketers. A Rahul Dravid fan, I would so much love to see him lifting that Cup.

More than anyone else Sachin Tendulkar desrves to have a World Cup victory in his long list of achievements. His teammates owe him this victory. Last time was so near yet so far. This is when they have got to make it count, make it happen for him. It will be a fitting tribute to this giant performer. And this is the most capable team to do it. These guys have been in a WC final before. They know what to expect. Buck up all you guys and girls - its gonna be party time this March and April. The Cricket Carnival is all set to unfold, pure delight awaits all the crazy fans who love this game more than anything else. Cheers!!!!